The conversation about alcohol sale times in Kissimmee is heating up, with city leaders and residents preparing to discuss potential changes that might impact the local economy and nightlife safety. According to WESH, a workshop is scheduled for today after multiple complaints were lodged against security incidents associated with night-time alcohol sales; currently, businesses are allowed to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. every day.
Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa emphasized a proactive approach, stating, "We're just trying to do the right thing for the greater good of the people," to prevent disturbances before they occur. Olga Cariño, a local business owner and former mayoral candidate, voiced her concerns that these changes might severely hurt the downtown economy as her coffee shop turns into a nightclub on weekends, "This is something that is going to kill Kissimmee's downtown economy, it's a big concern for all the business owners," she said, per WESH.
The idea of advancing the last call from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. is considered. This proposal weighs heavily on businesses like Matador Tacos and Tapas Bar, where server Rafael Alcala indicated that alcohol sales represent a significant portion of their Friday night revenue. He expressed this concern in an interview with My News 13.
Public safety is a crucial aspect of this debate, with incidents spilling onto the streets at late hours; however, Kissimmee Main Street, a city revitalization organization, surveyed with split opinions about changing the serving times. Diana Marrero-Pinto, the Executive Directo,r explained that there's equal sentiment for and against earlier closing times, summarizing community feedback as, "What we are seeing is an even amount of people who are like, ‘Close early, we don’t want to become a mini-Orlando, and we don’t want to become a club district.’ ‘But if you close earlier, you are going to affect us,'" according to a report from My News 13.
The open workshop at the Kissimmee Chamber of Commerce and the commissioner's meeting will gauge community opinions. Residents and business owners will share their views, but no immediate decisions are expected.
